The invention pertains to mounting devices and methods. More particularly, the invention pertains to the field of assemblies and methods for attaching a component such as, for example, an antenna device, to a supporting structure such as, for example, an antenna tower.
A wide range of types of antennas including, for example, mast antennas, dish antennas, horn antennas and other types of antennas and related components are often supported by an antenna tower or other structure to provide elevation to the antenna.
It is generally desirable that a mounting device be provided for conveniently mounting the antenna to the tower. Since the spatial orientation of the antenna is often critical, it is desirable that the mounting apparatus be configured to permit proper spatial orientation of the antenna.
It is also common for antenna towers to be tapered. That is, often an antenna tower has longitudinal frame members, referred to as tower legs, extending along its length from a wide tower base to a narrow section or point at or near the top of the tower. The tower legs are often canted at an angle anywhere from substantially vertical to five or more degrees off of vertical. Often, the antenna element is intended to be mounted via a mounting pipe which should be vertical to support the antenna element in the vertical directions. The angle of the tower leg presents a problem in that it is generally desirable to have a simple bracket device that would attach to the mounting pipe and hold the antenna element in a vertical direction.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a bracket that can attach in one place to a tower leg, and can attach in another place to a pipe mount of an antenna or other component to hold the pipe mount in a vertical orientation.
Further, since the tower leg or some other structural component on the tower may in some situations be completely vertical, and in other situations may be at an angle, it would be desirable to have a bracket that is easily adaptable between a vertical tower leg, and a tower leg having any of a variety of angles, for example, between zero and five degrees from vertical.
In the prior art, it has often been necessary to manufacture custom attachment devices that are usable only with a specific angle of tower leg. Custom attachment devices are generally difficult to retrofit for use in a different angle. Moreover, having a number of custom devices for each possible angle can require an increase in stocking effort for a manufacturer and/or installer.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an antenna aattachment device and method that can attach to a vertical or angled structural member such as, for example, a vertical or an angled antenna tower leg, and that can support a mounting pipe at a desired angle such as, for example, in a vertical position.
The foregoing needs are met, at least to a great extent, by the present invention, which at least in some embodiments provides an antenna attachment device and method that can attach to an angled structural member such as, for example, a vertical or an angled antenna tower leg, and that can support a mounting pipe at a desired angle such as for example in a vertical position.
In one aspect the invention provides an apparatus for mounting an item to a structural member, the apparatus comprising: a first clamping assembly that clamps onto the item and clamps onto the structural member and connects them at a first distance from each other; and a second clamping assembly that clamps to the item and clamps onto the structural member and connects them at a second distance from each other, said second clamping assembly having at least one spacer removable to vary the second distance between the item and the structural member.
In another aspect the invention provides a clamp assembly for clamping an item to a structural member, the assembly comprising: a back plate; at least two threaded rods attached to the back plate; a mounting clamp attached to the threaded rods and having a cylindrical pipe portion; at least one fist U-bolt configured to partially surround the cylindrical pipe portion of the clamp and rotatable around the cylindrical pipe portion; an attachment plate attached to the U-bolt; and at least one second U-bolt for attaching to the item in conjunction with the attachment plate.
In another aspect the invention provides an apparatus for mounting an item to a structural member, the apparatus comprising: first means for clamping onto the item and clamping onto the structural member and connecting them at a first distance from each other; and second means for clamping onto the item and clamping onto the structural member and connecting them at a second distance from each other, said second clamping means having at least one spacer removable to vary the second distance between the item and the structural member.
In another aspect the invention provides a clamp assembly for clamping an item to a structural member, the assembly comprising: first means for clamping onto the item and clamping onto the structural member and connecting them at a first distance from each other, and second means for clamping onto the item and clamping onto the structural member and connecting them at a second distance from each other, means permitting rotation between the first and second means; and removable spacing means.
In another aspect the invention provides a method for mounting an item to a structural member, the method comprising: clamping a first clamping assembly onto the item and onto the structural member and connecting them at a first distance from each other; and clamping a second clamping assembly onto the item and onto the structural member and connecting them at a second distance from each other, and inserting a removable spacer to vary the second distance between the item and the structured member.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.